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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24777103">Handstand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/plutosrose/pseuds/plutosrose'>plutosrose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Azula being terrible, Bullying, F/F, Royal Fire Academy for Girls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:40:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,302</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24777103</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/plutosrose/pseuds/plutosrose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“We’re going to play a little game,” she said sweetly. “The game is called ‘How long can Ty Lee do a handstand’?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azula &amp; Mai (Avatar), Azula &amp; Ty Lee (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>127</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Handstand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Royal Fire Academy for Girls was notorious for not just being a finishing school for the daughters of Fire Nation nobility, but for also being punishing and brutal. </p><p>Azula, for example, vividly recalled the way that she, Ty Lee, and Mai, had all been grouped together for a project when they were just ten years old. And by ‘project’, they were dumped off in a forest far from the capital, with nothing but a single knife between them to survive for three days.</p><p>But, there were occasions when the Royal Fire Academy for Girls had special events with its counterpart for boys, like the anniversary of the defeat of the Air Nation. </p><p>These were special occasions for sure, and Azula was only minorly resentful of the fact that Zuko didn’t have to attend them - as the Crown Prince, he was tutored in the palace, while she, by contrast, had to attend the academy. Sure, not just anyone could attend the academy, but that didn’t mean that she had to like it. </p><p>She especially didn’t care for the boys from the other school, who took every opportunity to show off their bending (and none of them were even good benders!) She didn’t care for the fact that dancing, which was not strictly forbidden but frowned upon, was actually encouraged during the celebration.</p><p>It was more of a march, she thought, but she would still have to march with a boy, who would probably insist that he was a better bender than she was. </p><p>She was probably going to set at least one of them on fire before the night was over, she reasoned.</p><p>It was after the march to commemorate the brave Fire soldiers that had defeated the Air Nation Army (during which Azula had surreptitiously burnt the boy who she’d been paired with for insisting that it was impossible that she could produce blue fire), that Azula caught sight of Ty Lee giggling in conversation with a boy who kept puffing out his chest and waving his hands, as though he was making grand, sweeping pronouncements.</p><p>She narrowed her eyes as servants began to bring out food - giant komodo chickens, fresh ocean kumquats, and ash banana bread - all artfully presented on large silver platters that were placed down on each table where the students would be having dinner together. </p><p>“Seats, please,” called one of the teachers.</p><p>Azula watched Ty Lee, still giggling and bright-eyed, loop her arm around the boy’s arm. She had to strain to hear her properly, but she was pretty certain that Ty Lee had actually just said the words “I’m sure Azula won’t mind if you sit with us!” </p><p>Her suspicions were proven correct when this boy, a truly unimpressive boy, even less impressive than ZuZu, and that was saying something, really, sat across from her, and smiled.</p><p>“Hello Princess,” he beamed. “I’m Lee.” </p><p>Azula gripped her knife and fork tightly in her hands. “I’m sorry, were you talking to me?” </p><p>Lee frowned. “You’re friends with Ty Lee, right? She said I could sit at this end of the table with you and Mai.”</p><p>Mai blew a strand of black hair out of her eyes and put up a hand. </p><p>Ty Lee shrunk in her seat instinctively.</p><p>Azula’s gaze flitted over to her briefly, before she looked directly at Lee. </p><p>“I don’t waste my time talking to boys who couldn’t bend their way out of a komodo chicken’s nest,” she said cleanly, smiling. </p><p>Lee’s initially friendly expression quickly turned sour. “How do you know how well I can firebend?”</p><p>Azula huffed. “It’s not your fault, really. I just know I’m better.”</p><p>She was about to slip in a cutting remark about how Ty Lee only attracted the attention of mediocre benders, but she held back. She knew better than to say something that would implicate herself in an insult.</p><p>“Yeah? Prove it.”</p><p>“Pass,” Azula yawned for show as servants darted into position to place portions of each dish on their plates. </p><p>The fact that Azula was refusing to rise to his challenge made Lee’s face turn beet red. “I’m going to go sit with my friends,” Lee announced, practically slamming his chair into the table and nearly tripping a servant in the process.</p><p>As he stormed off to another section of their table, Ty Lee looked at her with those big, round eyes that Azula would never, ever, not even in an Agni Kai, admit that she thought about more than once. </p><p>“You didn’t have to do that,” she said gently.</p><p>Mai was watching their conversation with detached interest. “He was a loser,” she offered, and Ty Lee glared at her.</p><p>“He was beneath you,” Azula shrugged.</p><p>“He was being friendly,” Ty Lee said, in a tone that was nearly confrontational. </p><p>Azula loved it when Ty Lee got close to disobeying her, and she didn’t do it enough. She memorized her expression - the way that her eyebrows knitted together and her nose wrinkled. </p><p>“He was not,” she dared. “He probably just thought you would kiss him, since you’re so friendly with the boys from the academy.”</p><p>Ty Lee started to turn red now, eyes welling up with tears. “You didn’t---”</p><p>Azula’s eyes shone the way they always seemed to when she had an idea that only she liked. Ty Lee shrunk back instinctively, before Azula took a step forward, a giant grin plastered across her face. </p><p>“We’re going to play a little game,” she said sweetly. “The game is called ‘How long can Ty Lee do a handstand’?” </p><p>Ty Lee grimaced, holding back tears. “I do love to play games with you, Azula. They’re always so fun.” </p><p>Just once, she thought, it would have been fun if Ty Lee fought back. Really fought back. She always came so close when she poked and prodded at her, but she never crossed the line, as much Azula tried to push her over it. </p><p>But no, instead, Ty Lee dutifully trotted over to a corner in the festival hall, leaning over to shift her weight onto her hands. </p><p>It was amusing, yes, but was it what she wanted? No. </p><p>The teachers that were chaperoning the event seemed completely indifferent and uncaring to the fact that Ty Lee was by herself in a corner, doing a handstand for minutes on end. Even if Azula hadn’t excelled at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, she was confident that she could have gotten away with what she wanted by virtue of being the Fire Nation’s Princess. </p><p>Ty Lee’s arms were beginning to shake, and her long brown hair was hanging down in front of her face, obscuring her vision. If Azula was right, she would soon start to turn red, then she’d get a headache, and usually at that time, she would start pleading with her. (“This game is so fun and you’re so smart, Azula, but maybe we can play something else!”).</p><p>“Her arms are getting tired,” Mai pointed out, but Azula continued to watch Ty Lee carefully. </p><p>Azula carefully cut into her komodo chicken, still watching Ty Lee, but attempting to look disinterested.</p><p>Ty Lee could never tell that she was still paying attention, after all.</p><p>And then, “Azula, please, I like this game but I’d really like to play another one.”</p><p>Azula grinned, and nodded. “Of course Ty Lee, we can play another game after dinner.” </p><p>Ty Lee stood back up and came to rejoin their table. “Sounds like fun, Azula!” she chirped.</p><p>“Just tell her you like her,” Mai grumbled under her breath as she pierced an ocean kumquat with her fork.</p><p>“Did you say something, Mai?” Ty Lee asked.</p><p>Mai looked over at Azula, and much like the chaperones and other students, she decided the best course of action was to pretend nothing had happened.</p><p>“Nope,” she said.</p>
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